Protecting animal pets foods

[Annie W]

After search here found nothing, & not having time to check all 13 pages of threads here, am asking re
your animal pets... HOW do you assure their food supplies are Safe ?

After an investigation uncovered a drug used for euthanizing animals inside various brands, a massive recall has been issued by multiple companies.
J.M. Smucker Company recalled several types of their “Gravy Train,” “Kibbles ‘N Bits,” and “Skippy” wet dog food products.
In a memo to retailers, obtained by TruthAboutPetFood.com, J.M. Smucker said the move was made because Pentobarbital
(sedative used to treat insomnia but can also induce death...) is found in Commercially sold pet foods. - The euthanasia  :exclamation: drug also
is in Evanger’s dog and cat food. The Illinois-based company recalled its “Hunk of Beef” products.
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While it is well known by the enlightened that the only human foods you can be sure are safe are the Open-pollinated you home grow
yourself,
how do other (vehicle-dwelling) owners ensure animal food safety ?

 

[NickTheoBennett]

Guy, that might be the only 100% foolproof method but you can also do some research to find A) a company that hasn't ever had a recall and B) a dog food with real ingredients in it to start with. Most of the cheap dog foods are full of all sorts of additives and fillers.

I use the following website to research new dog food before I give it to my dog.

https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/simply-nourish-limited-ingredient-diet-dog-food/

The link provided is the dog food I use. My dog (an 80lbs Lab/Shar-Pei) LOVES this stuff and his coat has never looked better since he started getting it. $50 for a 22lb bag at Petsmart or Petco. There are more expensive/better quality foods out there but this is a nice middle ground for me

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PS - For comparison this is a link to Kibbles and Bits, one of the recalled brands the OP mentioned:

https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/kibbles-n-bits-dog-food-dry/

Look at the differences in the ingredient lists and you'll never buy cheap food again.

 

[cyndi]

You can subscribe to dog food advisor to be notified via email or recalls

 

[Annie W]

Find A) a company that hasn't ever had a recall and B) a dog food with real ingredients in it to start with.  
Most of the cheap dog foods are full of all sorts of additives and fillers.  

I use the following website to research new dog food before I give it to my dog.  
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/simply-nourish-limited-ingredient-diet-dog-food/
My dog (an 80lbs Lab/Shar-Pei) LOVES this stuff and his coat has never looked better since he started getting it.  
$50 for a 22lb bag at Petsmart or Petco.  There are more expensive/better quality foods out there but this is a nice middle ground for me

And you know what....
with the exception of canola oil (most likely gMo), & the forms of the minerals, altho the minerals per se are very good,
the 'Simply Nourish'  ingredients are exceptional.
Would that more people enjoyed healthy  foods like highly-digestible LAMB, tomatoes, green peas, sweet pots., & flax seeds, etc.

observations:
1. Plant-based oils like canola are less bio-available to both us humans & our dog companions than fish oil for omega-3 fats.
And we could fix that by allowing them to go fishing... as much as possible, lol.
+
2. the Supplement(s)-challenge can be addressed by sharing with our animal friends the over dozen minerals plus vitamins we ourselves benefit from daily.
+
the Carbs... well, hopefully as people travel, their dogs are allowed to exercise freely... alot. Same as us 2-legged critters

Thank you so much for sharing this resource, NickTheoBennett

 

[Canine]

I'm a fan of raw diet for the reasons you mentioned, but I won't go into details there. If you want to use commercially processed foods, stick with canned. It has better fat/carb/protein ratios than dry kibble. Almost any dog food company will have recalls. Having a recall doesn't necessarily mean the company is making bad dog food. Many of those recalls are for salmonella contamination. That won't hurt dogs, but can hurt humans; therefore, the recall. Iams and Science Diet are over-rated and over-priced for what they offer. The best commercial dog food IMO is Nature's Logic because it doesn't use any synthetic ingredients or have any additives. All the ingredients are derived from actual food. No road kill. No euthanized pets. Nothing swept up off the floor of the slaughter house. They make and source their own food and have absolute control over how the food is made. Many dog food companies outsource their food, meaning someone else makes it for them and they put their label on it. That doesn't mean a dog food marketed like that is bad, but it does leave more room for bad or lesser quality ingredients being substituted without both parties knowing. The best bang for your buck is Kirkland's from Costco. It is reasonably priced and surprisingly high quality. It isn't the best, but it is pretty darn good; you could pay more and do a lot worse.

 

[Annie W]

I've never thought of myself as enlightened but after reading the OP it would seem that the only pet foods you can be sure are safe are the Open-pollinated you home grow yourself. That or get each lot of food tested in a toxicology lab.
Guy

Hi Guy
After reading your paraphrasing back to me, it now sounds funny, lol.
I didn't take enough time to word that right. Thanks for responding.

 

[Annie W]

I'm a fan of raw diet for the reasons you mentioned, but I won't go into details there.
If you want to use commercially processed foods, stick with canned. It has better fat/carb/protein ratios than dry kibble.
Almost any dog food company will have recalls. Having a recall doesn't necessarily mean the company is making bad dog food. Many of those recalls are for salmonella contamination. That won't hurt dogs, but can hurt humans; therefore, the recall.
Iams and Science Diet are over-rated and over-priced for what they offer.

The best commercial dog food IMO is Nature's Logic because it doesn't use any synthetic ingredients or have any additives. All the ingredients are derived from actual food. No road kill. No euthanized pets. Nothing swept up off the floor of the slaughter house. They make and source their own food and have absolute control over how the food is made. Many dog food companies outsource their food, meaning someone else makes it for them and they put their label on it. That doesn't mean a dog food marketed like that is bad, but it does leave more room for bad or lesser quality ingredients being substituted without both parties knowing.
The best bang for your buck is Kirkland's from Costco. It is reasonably priced and surprisingly high quality. It isn't the best, but it is pretty darn good; you could pay more and do a lot worse.

Agreed re sd & iams
Thank you for the next 2 good resources, Canine
re Nature's Logic https://www.natureslogic.com/product/canine-dry-kibble-venison/ checked their (NZ-import Venison) &
most of the 35 ingredients read well, except a few.
Wonder if their Probiotics remain alive+active enough after being dried at what temp.?
https://durablehealth.net/montmorillonite/montmorillonite-clay-benefits-cat-dog-food-structure/ explains Montmorillonite Clay
and
re Kirkland's from Costco . I read Labels on nearly everything. in case anyone else is interested:
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients. 66 items to avoid
Yeast Culture, Dried Kelp, & considering the detox job of the liver... don't need that either.

ok, buy canned. - Also when a pet gets healthy food plus allowed enough exercise, obesity is not an issue, right ?

Also, tho domesticated animals have to be protected in the wild from becoming the next snack or bigger meal,
have some gained their freedom, & returned with a half-eaten wild critter, - or does such not happen?
(Unless poisonous), would that such be a problem either way?

Yes, have had various pets, but never entertained the thought of turning them into gypsies too, lol. Thanks for furthering understanding

 

[Canine]

In regards to obesity, canned food is better. When kibble is made, a starch is used to keep it in kibble form, or it would literally be a bag of dust instead of a bag of kibble. Starch is high in carbs. Dogs don't need carbs like we do. Dogs need more fat and protein than carbs. Dry food also may cause problems in the sense that dogs didn't evolve to eat dry food. They ate wet animals. This daily stress of eating dry food then the body pulling water from itself to moisten the food may be a problem over a long period of time. When I fed dry food, I always added water for that reason. I have no proof of any sort that eating dry food causes problems, but it is a thought I had. Since the dog will need water anyway, I add some to the kibble.

Canned is $$$$, though. It's affordable with a small dog, but a medium sized dog can easily cost more in a month than feeding a person 3 to 4 times its size.

Generally speaking, dogs are made to move. Getting exercise is pretty important not only for the body, but for the mind. Each dog is an individual, so some will get fat easily while some will look like they are being neglected no matter how much you feed them. A friend of mine has a skinny dog that I refer to as Skeletor. No matter what brand of food or how much he feeds it, it looks like a bag of bones.

I don't understand the second-to-last paragraph. Eating dead animals, unless they are rancid, usually isn't a problem. Dogs do a great job of handling the nasties of old (but not spoiled) food. They can get parasites, though, like tapeworm, or can gulp a bone down without chewing it. If they chew the bones and they aren't dried hard as a rock, then they are seldom a problem. It's when they gulp long, splintered bones that serious problems can occur.

Interestingly, anyone, even dogs, can drink rattlesnake venom and not be hurt. As long as you don't have any cuts or abrasions in your mouth, you would be fine; it's when it gets under the skin that it does the damage. Maybe eating a Black Widow would be bad or a Gila Monster, but that would such an unusual occurrence that I wouldn't give it a second thought.

 

[sushidog]

My vet just prescribed phenobarbital for my epileptic dog. I hope it stops the seizures.

Chip

 

[breeze]

Annie W
After search here found nothing, & not having time to check all 13 pages of threads here, am asking re
your animal pets... HOW do you assure their food supplies are Safe ?

For Chinese dog food, I think you do that with an antifreeze tester.

 

[DesertRose]

Raw Feeding aficionado here, for years. HOBE MEATS in Phoenix, AZ is the place to go. NO hormones, NO antibiotics, NO saline injected to make the chicken look healthier and fatter. Bret Pont the owner has been supplying almost the entire rescue and dog loving community in The Valley of The Sun for at least 10 years now. He has his own dogs too. He's been a butcher for 30 years and now owns his own business.

I have been feeding my dogs raw for 5-7 years. (one dog 7, the other 5). I swear by it. You do have to find the right meat for your particular dog.

BENEFITS: NO fleas, NO ticks, dried up fossil-like poops (yes, they come out like that), and they DON'T SMELL.


TO THE SKEPTICS: Raw chicken bone turns to RUBBER in the canine stomach after 5 mins. This is because the canine stomach has a much different ph than humans.
COOKED chicken bones are verboten/not recommended. Some people have not experienced issues with cooked bone but I would never do it.

I've known people who tried the raw route and their dog(s) couldn't tolerate it. That is perfectly understandable. I would not push it on them. They tried.

There is a raw feeding group on Yahoo, you can check that out. For myself, I had a pen-pal in Michigan. She is lucky enough to get wild boar, elk, deer and other game from friends in the far upper peninsula near Lake Huron. She coached me and I am glad to do the same with what I know.

I simply started my dogs on raw chicken quarters. $40 for a 40-lb box. It's enough to feed my two dogs who are large and medium for almost a month.

HOBE MEATS also has chopped frozen vegetables. My dogs won't touch it but other dogs love it. If you MUST feed your dog(s) vegetables, bear in mind they don't really need it. In the wild, they eat the whole carcass that has greens in the stomach. There again, you find out what your dogs like. I really do believe they know best (within reason).

Find a vet that supports raw feeding. My vet in North Phoenix did. Many of them are rabidly against it because they lose business over it. Ya think?! Don't let them convince you that raw feeding is WRONG. Far from it. It should at least be tried esp. if your dog has trouble with processed food.

Personally when I get on the road I will be checking out Bob's vet in Williams, AZ from the video a month ago. Really liked the guy.

The rule of thumb: Feed 3% of your dog's body weight. My Rusty gets 1-3/4 lbs a day, My Katie gets 1-1/2 lbs per day.

I supplement with organ meat to round out their nutrition. (Required.) Cheap: $1.59 for a tub of chicken gizzards, livers or hearts.

You feed them the occasional beef marrow bone with marrow in it. It's like sushi to them and very fattening so no more than twice a week on that.

I can't wait to get back to AZ and Hobe Meats. For now I am feeding "Nutri-Source Quail and Duck" kibble and feel OK about it. It's expensive but necessary. But they've gained weight, which is another issue: dogs maintain a very healthy weight on raw meat at the correct amount.

My philosophy is similar to Bob's: whatever makes my dog happy, makes me happy. I am going to do what's best for my best friends.
Think about it: raw meat for a carnivore. What could be more natural??

One last tip: DO NOT buy raw meat from the supermarket. That meat is full of antibiotics and hormones, and in chicken injected saline.

Witness my happy meat-eating dohgs in the signature link below.

Peace Out.

 

[Annie W]

yes, yes, - what an excellent post.

The part that most rings TRUE = WILD animals know *by INSTINCT * what they NEED for health, ie >>> RAW <<<.

(Lucky to not have $$) to then get force/fed artificial &/or cooked/canned crap. No wonder they get sick. yuck!!)

Also we've had Bunnies, Cats, Chickens, Dog, etc; & they loved nibbling on GREEN SALAD VEGGIES especially Lettuce & broccoli.

TOP take-aways from your excellent post:
1. raw chicken quarters. ----- Add to this ORGANIC .....................................
(no corn, nor soybean feeds, aka gmo-crap, nor antibiotics + hormones)
+
2. organ meat (Required.) chicken gizzards, livers or hearts. ((Truth be told we eat them cooked too))
+
3. Bob's vet in Williams, AZ - I'd like to meet that doctor, as Anyone supporting raw feeding has got a clue.
too
(those against it, are in it for the $$ from animals getting sick, yuck!)
+
4. beef marrow bone with marrow in it. &................................. ((Collagen is how my own joints stay strong))

again , THANK YOU. DesertRose.

 

[DesertRose]

Hi Annie, thank you. Not sure Bob's vet in Williams, AZ supports raw feeding but it's a good bet he probably does. I forgot to mention that dogs take a lot of the moisture they need from the meat and bone itself. Even when I lived in Phoenix/Scottsdale for 6 years, my dogs drank less water even in the summer while hiking in the mountain preserves in town. Now that they are on commercial food (the good expensive stuff) they drink a ton of water even while sitting around more. I was very fortunate that my dogs never got sick in 6 years. When I moved back to SoCal, one dog got a virus (sick 3 weeks), and they both got a horrible case of fleas and mama was not happy. Now they are chewing on their paws, no doubt from the pesticides/herbicides that Long Beach is getting reamed for at their (wonderful) parks.

Another thing about Hobe Meats, Bret carries exotic meat as well - ostrich, alligator, snake, etc. etc. Very pricey but available! He is also known for the best steaks in town.

Here's the link to the brief blurb about raw meat: http://hobemeats.com/products/all-natural-pet-food

 

[Headache]

Just a tidbit regarding hearts; if you have small critters like I do proper weighing of food is crucial. It's been brought up that since the heart is a muscle it is now being considered the same as other muscle meats and not necessarily as organ meat.